CIHM 
Microfiche 
Series 
(l\Aonograptis) 


ICIVIH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographies) 


Canadian  Imtituta  lor  Historical  Microraproductlont  /  Inttitut  Canadian  da  microraproductiona  historiquas 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  technique  et  bibllographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  Ijest  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibllographically  unique,  which  may  alter  any  of 
the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming  are 
checked  below. 


0 


Cokxired  covers  / 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I     I     Covers  damaged  / 

' — '     Couverture  sndommagte 

I     I     Covers  resloiBd  and/or  laminated  / 
' — '      Couverture  lestaurte  et/ou  pellicula 

I     I      Cover  title  missing  /  Le  dtre  de  couverture  manque 

I     I     Coloured  maps  /  Cartes  g^raphiques  en  couleur 

r~|     Coloured  inl<  (i.e.  otiier  than  blue  or  l)lad<)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

I     I     Cokxjied  plates  and/or  illustrations  / 
' — '      Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

I     I      Bound  with  clher  material  / 
' — '     ReliS  avec  tfautres  documents 

I     I     Only  edition  available  / 
' — ■      Seule  iiMon  disponitile 

I  I  Tight  binding  may  cause  sha .  'vs  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin  /  La  rellure  serrie  peut 
causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la  distorslon  le  long  de 
la  marge  intirieure. 

I  I  Blank  leaves  added  during  restorations  may  appear 
' — '  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have 
been  omitted  from  filming  /  II  se  peut  que  certaines 
pages  blanches  ajout^es  lors  d'une  restauraUon 
apparalssent  dans  le  texte,  mais,  kxsque  cela  Malt 
possible,  ces  pages  n'ont  pas  Mi  filmies. 


L'Institut  a  microfilms  le  meilleur  exampiaire  qu'il  lui  a 
6te  possible  de  se  pnjcurer.  Les  details  de  cet  exem- 
plaire  qui  sont  peut-6tre  uniques  du  point  de  vue  blbli- 
ographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image  reproduite, 
ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modifications  dans  la  meth- 
ode  normale  de  filmage  sont  indk)u6s  ci-dessous. 

I     I     Cokxjred  pages/ Pages  de  couleur 

I     I     Pages  damaged/ Pages  endommag^es 

I     I     Pages  restored  an*or  laminated  / 
— '     Pages  restaurtes  et/ou  pelleultes 

r~p\     Pager  discoloured,  stained  or  loxed  / 
'-'^     Pages  dtojtortes,  tachettes  ou  piqutes 

I     I     Pages  detached/ Pages  d«tach*e« 

r^     Showlhrough/ Transparence 

I     I      Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I — '     Quality  Inigale  de  rimpresskm 

I     I     Includes  supplementdiy  material  / 
—      Comprenddu  materiel  suppMmentaire 

I  I  Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refllmed  to 
ensure  the  t>est  possible  image  /  Les  pages 
totalement  ou  partiellement  oi)SCurcies  par  un 
feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure,  etc.,  ont  Hi  filmtos 
i  nouveau  de  fafon  k  obtenir  la  meilleure 
image  possible. 

I  I  Opposing  pages  with  varying  colouration  or 
discolouratlons  are  filmed  twice  to  ensure  the 
best  possible  Image  /  Les  pages  s'opposant 
ayant  des  cok>ratlons  variables  ou  des  d<col- 
oratrans  sont  lilmies  deux  fois  afin  d'obtanir  la 
meilleur  image  possible. 


D 


Addtkxul  comments  / 
Commentaires  sifipKmentaiies: 


Thii  iwn  it  filmed  et  tlw  riductian  rnio  diMtud  bslow/ 
C«  docunMnt  Mt  film*  tu  tau«  <t(  rMuetlon  indiqirf  ci-dtssous. 
lOX  14X  1«X 


22X 


MX 


»x 


12X 


20X 


Th*  copy  fUmad  h«ra  hu  baan  laproduead  thank* 
to  iha  sw<«'M<tV  a*: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'aMamplaira  film*  f ut  raproduit  grisa  i  la 
g*n4reait*  da: 

Bibllothiqua  natlonala  du  Canada 


Tha  imagaa  appaaring  hara  ara  liM  baat  quality 
pouibla  eonaidaring  Itia  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  eontraei  apadficationa. 


Original  eepiai  in  printad  papar  cevora  ara  fllmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  en 
tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatratad  impraa- 
aion.  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copiaa  ara  fiimad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  Illuatratad  impraa- 
sion.  and  anding  on  tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illuatratad  impraasien. 


Tha  laat  racordad  frama  on  aach  mierofieha 
ihall  conuin  tha  aymbol  — » (moaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  V  (moaning  "END"), 
whiehowar  appliaa. 

Mapa,  platas.  chartt,  ate,  may  ba  fiimad  at 
diffarant  raduetion  ratioa.  Thosa  too  larga  to  bo 
ontiraly  included  in  ona  axpoaura  ara  fllmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  cornar.  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bonom,  a*  many  frames  aa 
required.  The  following  diagram*  illuatrata  the 
method: 


Las  image*  suivantaa  ont  M  reproduiias  avac  I* 
plua  grand  soin.  compia  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattel*  do  I'eaemplaira  filmi.  at  »n 
eonformite  avee  lea  condition*  du  eonirat  d* 
fUmage. 

Lea  axemplairea  eriginaux  dent  la  couvanure  an 
papier  eat  ImprimOe  aont  fllme*  an  commancani 
par  le  premier  plot  et  en  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darnitre  page  qui  compone  une  empreinte 
d'ImpreaaJon  ou  d'illuatration.  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  la  caa.  Toua  lee  autre*  enemplaira* 
orlginauii  aont  film**  an  eemmancant  par  la 
pramMre  paga  qui  eomperte  une  empreinte 
dimpreaaion  ou  d'illuatration  at  en  terminant  par 
la  darnitre  page  qui  compone  una  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  dee  aymbola*  auivann  spparaltra  *ur  la 
darniire  image  do  cheque  microfiche,  telon  le 
caa:  le  aymbele  ^»  eignifie  "A  SUIVHE".  le 
eymbote  V  eignifie  "FIN". 

Le*  carte*,  plancha*.  ubleaux.  etc..  peuwent  itre 
filmta  *  da*  Uu«  da  rAduction  difftranu. 
Loraqua  le  document  eat  trap  grand  pour  itra 
reproduil  en  un  aeul  clieh*.  il  e*t  film*  *  partir 
da  I'angle  aupArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite. 
et  de  haul  an  baa.  an  pranant  la  nombre 
d'Imegea  necaaaaire.  Lea  diagrammea  auiwanti 
illuatrent  la  methade. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

MICtOCOPY    RBOWTION  TEST  CNAKT 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


J  /1PPLIED  IM^OE    Inc 

=^  t6»   Eoil   Main    itreal 

^  Rochailar.   Nas   rork         14609       U» 

M  (716)  482  -  0300  -  Pn*n« 

H  (716)  368-5989  -  Fo> 


■y^- 


/ 


The  Problem 

OF  THK 

Indifferent  Farmer 


ADDRESS  BY 

C.  C.   JAMES 


Before  the  International  Association  of  Farmers' 

Institutes  Workers,  at  Washington,  D.C., 

November  7  th,  1910 


THE   PROBLEM 

or  THE 

INDIFFERENT  FARMER 


ADDRESS   BY 

C.    C.    JAMES 


Before  the  Internarional  Asaociation  of  Farmers'   Inatitutes 
Workers,  at  Waahington,  D.C.,  November  7th,  1910 


•M#1772 


The  Problem  of  the  Indiffertnt  Farmer. 


.V.lnptiiijit  a  ilcliniiiiiii  of  life  ns  given  iiy  soiiif  Anieriian 
philoKopher.  \w  iimv  my  that  the  life  of  (he  pwiplp  is  "jiint  one 
juiililer  after  another."'  Some  of  the«  problems  arc  attackeJ 
with  intellixence  and  vigor  until  tlipy  are  sclved.  Others  ire 
approached,  considered  in  a  more  or  less  casual  manner,  and  then 
turneil  down  for  some  other  p-oblem  more  attractive.  Other 
problems,  big  in  size  and  of  great  importance  in  the  national  life, 
are  not  even  met  with  ordinary  coiiptcsy,  but  are  treated  with 
"xtreme  indifference.  It  would  be  a  reflection  upon  our  intelli- 
(r"nce  to  put  the  problem  of  the  indifferent  farmer  in  the  last 
class.  We  are  giving  it  »)mr  attention,  but,  considering  its  size, 
c  jiaiciering  its  import,- uce,  we  must  conclude  thapt  we  are,  appar- 
ently, not  talving  hold  of  it  as  yet  in  a  manner  likely  to  solve  it 
very  soon.  We  need  not  take  time  in  discussing  the  question  as 
to  whether  there  is  such  n  i)roblem.  We  all  know  the  indifferent 
farmer;  he  is  here  on  this  American  continent  by  the  tens  of 
thousands.  We  who  are  workers  in  the  agricultural  field  come 
in  contact  with  him.  He  is  to  be  met  with  nearly  everywhere. 
He  is  the  burde-i  of  our  e.xUtt-ice;  lie  is  largely  the  excuse  I'lir  our 
ofHce.  He  has  lieen  here  since  wovk  first  began,  and  one  can 
hardly  hope  that  he  will  ever  become  entirely  extinct.  If  wc  had 
no  direct  exper  iice  with  him,  we  would  have  strong  suspicions 
of  his  existence,  simply  by  reading  the  daily  papers, — for  are  nis 
.'■hortcomings  not  set  forth  there  from  day  to  day?  Frequently, 
the  news  editor  confuses  indifference  and  dishonesty — for  you 
know  there  is  that  curious  streak  in  us  which  makes  a  basket  of 
scabby  peaches  loom  as  large  as  a  carload  of  faulty  rails,  and  a 
dozen  small  apples  in  the  middle  of  the  barrel  rank  with  the  flaw 
in  a  forty  foot  bridge. 


I 


J\<m  hijf  i»  II, IK  |.fMl.l,iii;-  III  111,.  I'n,,,,,,.,.  „r  (Inliiri.,  »,■  li„v,. 
ir.'i.iHMI   tttrm*   wliiw   iiMiiiijil    |>i'ihIui'|Iciii.<   lulu!   iil,.,nt,  Jji-.'.-in.iMHi,. 

"""•     "  ''>■  •"" "'a'''  •>'  \>r<>ivi*  i,t  iT^ifiiiTiKimi  «,■  cmi!,!  tiini 

iill  Mm.  iii.liircrHil  r.inii,T-  iiil..  viiilciHiikM,  |irivri-»iv...  up-t..- 
iliit..  riiriiMis  th.'  lni,i|  proilihli.Mi  Mi.uM  l«.  P,i,i|v  doiilpl...!.  uii.I 
It  n  nut  licv.ihil  lli(.  rwi.li  iif  |io*siliilJiy  |i>  iivhl,.  „iir  oiitpiil.  \V.. 
Iiave  in  Ciina.hi.  im  y-m  linv,.  in  ih,.  milp.l  Siiilc^  „  ('nminl"inn 

'■'"■   "!''   '■"ii-"iili ■    !(,■ V,...     A-   liir  .1.   liu.    l'r.,^i^.•..   „< 

nnton.i  U  c-.iiiiTni,.,l,  »,■  iiiv  ...n, vrneil  not  m  iniiL'li  witli  tlw 
pi',wrv.itioii  .,i-  ,(,n«.n,iiinii  „t  „„,■  a«rj,nlluinl  ros(mnr<  ,is  »iili 

"" '■''   f"!'  '■Xjiiiii'lin).'  iiml  cnlMr^rini;  llic  .i>;ri.nlliiral   ri.-minr.. 

tliiit  natnri.  has  jiiMMi  in.  iiii.l  ,if  kwpin;{  prodiictiiiii  up  Ui 
(Ic'inaiiil. 

h  it  \V(n'tli  our  «iiil..  I»  taki'  Imld  nl'  llii-i  i.\pan«ii)ii  in  ival 
I'arnest,  ilnii  Is  n-  iIhmi^Ii  «,•  liidii'vi'd  it  (niiM  l„.  ,|„|„.  Tlio 
po-silpilitv  III'  ailiiiiiir  uv(,  ,„•  ihr,.,.  Innnlrnl  niillimi  iloljar-  vi.,irlv 
lo  iiiir  rural  iniuiiie  siirrly  makes  this  a  lii;{  prolilmii.  Irft  ini'  u»k 
n^'ht  liiMv  l.s  thn-f  aiiv  ..tlicr  pi-iililciii  on  lln'  AniiTii-aii  Cniti- 
ncnt  lliat  imrics  into  ilu'  siim,.  class  ivitli  il :-  Von,  ^itnitli'incn. 
wlio  nrp  (Mi^'M^'cil  in  lliis  ii,.|il  know  now  it  is  lo  Ih'  worked  oiil. 
You  know  l!'.  foundation  loiirses  upon  wliieli  this  ^rcat  wc^altli 
may  lie  Imilt.     These  coiiises  iire  iiluin  and  >'nip     . 

1.  nraiii   the  soil. 

2.  Sow  only  the  be  t  seeil. 

.'1.  Carefully  prolec^t  and  store  llie  prodmls  of  tlic  fields  n„d 
orei.iirds. 

•I.  Feed  fi(dd  products  only  to  prolitalile  stoek. 

"i.  Put  the  linislied  product  on  the  market  in  the  best  form. 

If  we  could  in  s„me  way  bring  the  inditfcrent  farmer  to  the 
knowledge  of  these  five  plain,  eonvincin};  lines  of  work,  we  would 
liave  solved  Ihe  proldeiii ;  all  else  involved  in  agrieultural  improve- 
nieiit  would  come  easily  as  a  natural  se(|uenee.  And  what  a  solviu',' 
of  other  prohleuis  there  would  be.  A  man  in  our  Province  wlc. 
hasi  been  a  farmer  for  many  years  said  to  me  the  other  dav, 
"  Push  the  draiiia,s;e  of  land.  Spend  money  on  it.  If  you 
can  pet  all  the  I'arnii'rs  to  drain  their  land,  you  will  solve  tlie 
problem  of  l'oo.I  roads,  fo    they  will  have  money  cnoucli  to  build 


tliHH   r.,f  ll,....i«.K...,"     |„,r,,,.„   „„.    i„,,„„„.  „f  ,|„,    |,„|i,|,, 

r«riiiw.  „n,l  «..  will  I,,,,..  ,!,..  „„.„„.  ,1     ,„.  ,|i,^^„|  ^,  „.„„^„„.   ,  , 
rccon^truLt,  lu  ,l..v..|„,.    tl„.    ,■„.„!    ,,ul,li,-    hc-I,,,,,!    ,„•«(,.,„    ,.lon« 
rations    hnc..    An.!  ...  „..  ,„i«l„  ,„|ar«.  ,.|,„„  ,|,i,  .,,■,,„„„  „|,„ 
-»«nv    li„c,.      |.,„    ,„„„,   „„„„.,    i„    „,„   f„^„„.,^,   |_^^.|^^,,^   ^^^  ^1^^^ 
rtwiili  or  111*  Jrii|iriiH'il  work  iin       in.iv 


will  Ih'  tliitufn  ilointf  ill  til,' 
rural  ™n»t,lu..n.v  that  „r,.  .„,»  ,.xi«t..m  larw-.U  In  the  ImiK.,  an,l 
'"■'•"''.•'  "•■  ""■"  "■ '•'■  •"'""■tini.-  cull,.,l  „|,|i„,i,|,  „n,l  ,|,ion„ri... 


"I'liiiiiniH  anil  VKionani'- 
^l■  iriiKhl  iMilarir,.  ii|K)n  llii*.  Tl,,.  ..|ii-i,.|i,i„.nt  of  the  farm- 
or».  (1,,.  iriiprowriu.  „f  ||„.  rural  «lio..ls  tli,.  lH.„iitifvinff  of  the 
rura    home,,  ,he  in.  .ease  nf  ^..-ial  a,lvaiita«e,s  the  q,iiekenin«  of 

;"'«■"'""■•'"■'••  ""■  """■'!  "I'iifl-"ll  e in«  out  „r  the  .,tirriii«  into 

life  oi  the  imiimTe.it  farriier.     Von  who    are    workinjr    for  and 

'"""""  ""-'  f"""''™  !<""«  a.  ther.  ,|„  „l,.,t  all  this  mean-  in 

the  ilevelopnienl  of  a  nation  ahne    thu  liij{he<t  lines. 

All  thii  line  of  cl,.^elo|Mllellt  I  4  |o  he  so  simple,  ind  therein 
1«  one  of  the  greatest  ,lifTieiilties-it  is  its  simi-lieitv  that  makes  it 
>0  iliffieult.  If  we  eon  1,1  pre-cnt  a  prohlen.  more  inlrieatc  ami 
more  darn:;,  we  eonhl  ex|H..t  to  set  the  ,,eople  *o  its  solution, 
l-ook  over  the  nre,.l  prohl.'ins  that  have  attract  'he  people  of 
intluenee,  the  people  ,)f  initiative  iK«ver.  the  ])er  who  control 
tlie  ereative  forces  and  the  ilistrihution  of  wealth.  This  sini|)le 
l.rohlem  of  stirring  up  the  indiireivnt  farmer  to  aetivitv  docs  not 
a"  vet  appeal  to  the  people  as  it  deserves.  Here  arc  two  areas  o( 
land,  ten  million  acres  eiieli  in  extent.  The  one  is  occupied  bv 
farmers,  good,  bad  and  indilTerent.  The  other  area  is  unoccupied, 
it  is  as  nature  made  it,  but  it  is  five  hundred  miles  avray.  Two 
(luestions  arise— shall  we  develop  the  agriculture  of  the  occupied 
area,  double  its  i)roduction,  double  its  population,  and  again 
double  its  production ;  or  shall  we  set  to  work  to  build  a  railroad 
to  that  unoccupied  i,ind,  there  to  repeat  the  experience  of  the 
former  seotion— farmers,  good,  bad  and  indifferent?  You  know 
what  would  lie  done,  llillions  woulil  be  available  for  the  more 
daring  proposition  and  thousands  only  for  the  other. 

It  ia  ea.sier  to  build  a  ilrendnauglit  than  an  agricultural  col- 
lege. We  can  arouse  the  interest  of  two  continents  in  solving  the 
problem  of  aerial  navigation,  but  it  is  difficult  to  get  the  people 


to  demand — no,  let  me  put  it  more  mildly — it  is  ditliciilt  to  get 
tne  ;ieople  to  support  enthnsiastically  the  proposition  of  spending 
money  freely  in  teacliing  the  indifferent  farmer  how  to  drain  his 
land,  why  he  should  use  only  the  hest  seeds,  why  he  should  test  his 
dairy  cows,  wliy  and  how  he  should  spray  his  apple  trees,  and  how, 
in  short,  he  can  increase  liis  income  by  one  thousand  dollars  a 
year. 

This  brings  us  to  the  question  as  to  liow  we  are  to  solve  tlia 
problem  of  the  mdiffereni  public.  You  will  understand  tliat 
when  I  refer  to  tlie  indillercnt  public  I  am  speaking  in  general 
terms.  There  are  persons  who  have  an  inspiration  as  to  the 
greatness  of  this  wor'.,  and  there  are  some  places  where  this 
problem  is  baing  worked  out;  but,  on  the  whole,  the  public  are 
more  or  less  indifferent  to  the  importance  of  the  work,  judging 
by  their  actions,  or  ratlior  inactions.  If  the  development  of  our 
agriculture  means  the  grcatcj^t  wealth  creation  within  the  nation, 
and  if  the  stirring  of  the  indifferent  farmer  to  better  things  i.'j  tlie 
key  to  the  situation,  wliy  do  not  our  iwople — manufaoturers,  bank- 
ers, professional  men,  business  men,  and  intelligent  farmers — 
rifi  in  a  niasa  and  demand  thait  this  work  be  undertaken  and  car- 
ried through?  There  are  at  least  two  reasons:  In  the  first 
place,  there  is  a  too  prevalent  opinion  that  work  done  among  and 
for  the  farmers  is  a  charitable  contribution  to  a  class  that  should 
be  able  to  take  care  of  themselves.  What  a  woeful  misconception 
of  this  movement!  Helping  the  farmers  to  larger  production  and 
to  larger  life  can  be  justified  only  on  the  ground  that  thereby  we 
are  contril)uting  to  tlie  prosperity  and  uplift  of  the  whole  com- 
munity. A  town  of  5,000  people  is  surrounded  by  a  farming 
community.  Through  the  agricultural  uplift,  $1,000,000  could 
easily  be  added  to  the  annual  production  of  the  surrounding  and 
contributing  country.  Ts  it  conceivable  that  such  an  addition 
could  be  made  without  touching  every  banker,  every  manufac- 
turer, every  storekeeper,  every  doctor,  every  lawyer,  every 
newspaper  owner  in  the  town?  First  and  foremost  then  it 
seems  to  me  that  we  must  take  the  problem  of  the  indifferent 
fanner  out  of  the  country  and  bring  it  into  the  town  and  city. 
we  must,,  in  addition  to  discussing  it  at  the    Farmers'   Institute 


and  tlie  Farmers'  Club,  put  it  up  to  the  Board  of  Trade,  the 
Bankers'  Afsociation,  the  Betail  Merchants'  Association,  and 
even  the  County  Teachers'  Contention.  It  has  been  a  local  ques- 
tion; we  must  moke  it  a  national  question.  We  must  bring 
people  to  see  that  it  is  not  charity  or  local  contribution,  but 
merely  the  investment  of  public  funds  that  will  bring  ample 
returns  to  the  whole  people. 

In  the  next  place,  we  have  not  yet  succeeded  in  getting  the 
men  of  influence  behind  this  movement.  And  I  admit,  at  once, 
that  herein  tliere  is  much  diificulty.  We  can  get  tlieir  approval 
and  their  blessing,  but  wihat  we  want  is  their  support  and  back- 
ing, in  season  and  out  of  season.  If  only  we  could  interest  in  this 
work  a  large  number  of  men  who  have  built  up  the  great  indus- 
tries of  this  tountry,  who  have  planned  the  groat  undertakings, 
who  have  built  the  railroads,  dug  the  canals,  erected  factories, 
organized  linancial  institutions,  laid  pipe  lines  and  strung  power 
cables;  if  we  had  a  host  of  men  like  J.  J.  Hill  of  the  Great 
Northern,  and  President  Brown  of  tlic  XewYork  Central  Lines, 
men  who  are  able  to  size  up  this  question  not  simply  as  one  of 
personal  profit,  but  as  one  of  national  importance — then  we  could 
hurry  along  the  movement.  What  is  required  is  that  our  people 
and  especially  those  wlio  control  expenditure  and  direct  public 
energies  shall  look  upon  the  spending  of  money  for  agricultural 
development  in  the  same  way  as  they  do  the  constructing  of  a 
bridge,  the  digging  of  a  canal,  the  building  of  a  railwaj',  as  an 
investment  of  the  people's  money  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole 
people.  When  that  condition  of  affairs  arrives,  when  this  agri- 
cultural problem  is  put  on  a  business  basis,  and  is  considered  from 
its  national  standpoint,  it  will  not  be  a  question  of — How  little 
can  we  get  along  ivith?  but,  Where  and  how  can  we  epend  mora 
money  so  as  to  bring  good  profits  to  the  people  as  a  whole? 

We  are  a  great  people  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic — at  least 
we  think  we  are — but  I  know  nothing  more  sitimulating  and  more 
corrective  for  us  who  ere  engaged  in  agricultural  work  than  a 
visit  now  and  then  to  some  of  the  countries  of  Europe,  especially 
those  lying  adjacent  to  the  Nortli  Sea.  Prance,  Belgium,  Hol- 
land, Germany,  Denmark  and  Sweden  are  worth  visiting.      In 


8 


those  countries  we  see  intensive  ugriculture,  farming  carried  on 
along  tire  lines  of  our  market  gardening,  co-operation  practised 
along  the  most  successful  lines,  the  hest  of  seeds  and  the  best  of 
Btock  considered  none  too  good  for  the  average  farmer.  But  the 
one  thing  that  impresses  vou  is  the  general  public  interest  in 
agricultural  pursuits,  tlio  recognition  by  all,  including  the  lead- 
ers of  state,  that  agriculture  is  a  matter  of  common  interest  and 
is  deserving  of  the  best  that  can  be  given.  One  outcome  of  this 
is  that  it  is  in  tliese  countries  an  education  is  provided  for  the 
average  farmer  that  is  intended  to  equip  him  for  his  life  work. 
The  indifferent  farmer  is  not  so  much  in  evidence  in  these  coun- 
tries fis  he  is  in  many  sections  of  this  continent. 

TiCt  me  again  empha<«ize  tliis  point.  One  of  the  most 
important  factors  in  the  future  development  of  agriculture  on 
this  continent  will  he  in  getting  not  only  the  approval  of  the 
city  people  in  onr  efforts  to  upbuild  agriculture,  bnt  their  hearty 
support;  more  than  that,  their  enforced  demand  that  agriculture 
be  assisted  and  developed  as  tlie  greatest  contributing  element  in 
the  prosperity  of  the  wliolc  people.  We  must  get  the  town  and 
city  people  awakened  to  the  possibilities,  and  to  do  this  we  should 
have  the  powerful  support  of  the  pres.-^  and  through  it  reach  the 
city  organisations.  It  is  all  very  well  for  some  of  the  papers  to 
call  attention  from  time  to  time  to  inferior  farm  products  that 
find  their  way  to  market  and  bo  preach  a  little  sermon  on  the 
subject  for  the  benefit  of  tlie  farmer;  what  is  wanted  is  the  pro- 
viding of  ways  and  means  whereby  the  farmer  can  be  shown  the 
better  ivay.  We  go  about  these  things  too  often  in  the  wrong 
way.  Let  me  give  you  an  example.  There  was  held  recently  in 
the  city  of  Toronto  a  meciiug  of  Produce  Commission  Merchants 
to  discuss  the  question  of  bad  egg.«.  The  result  of  that  meeting 
was  the  passing  of  a  resolution  asking  the  Dominion  Minister  of 
Agriculture  to  have  enacted  stringent  legislation  against  the 
marketing  of  stale  eggs  by  the  farmer.  That,  of  course,  was  the 
easiest  proposal  to  make,  easier  to  suggest  than  to  carry  out. 
One  not  engaged  in  the  handling  of  eggs  might  suggest  that  the 
merchants  have  the  remedy  in  their  own  hands — "refuse  to  buy 
stale  eggs."    That,  however,  might  upset  relations  that  may  not 


be  even  too  pleasant  at  all  tiinejs.  But  is  there  not  a  still  better 
way?  Suppose  these  niercliants  had  said:  "The  marketing  of 
stale  eggs  is  in  the  long  run  bad  business  for  the  farmer,  it  is  a 
losing  game  for  the  commission  merchant,  and  it  is  certainly  an 
aggravation  and  a  loss  to  the  consumer.  Let  us  ask  that  the 
farmer  be  taught  the  better  way."  We  have  only  to  go  to  Den- 
mark to  see  what  that  better  way  is.  And  here  I  might  mention 
that  already  in  two  of  our  counties  we  are  trying  out  this  better 
way,  not  by  legislation,  not  by  preaching,  not  by  scolding,  but  by 
the  enthusiastic  missionary  work  of  some  men  set  apart  for  the 
work,  two  of  whom  are  the  district  representatives  of  our  Depart- 
ment, and  the  practical  backing  of  a  big  Commission  House. 
They  nre  reaching  the  indifferent  farmers  and  by  a  house  to  house 
canvass  are  working  little  short  of  a  miracle,  accoiuplisUing 
results  that  years  of  legislation  would  fail  to  do.  Even  the  sub- 
ject of  fresh  eggs  is  important  enough  to  engage  the  attention  of 
staitesmen.  They  certainly  think  so  when  they  sit  down  to  the 
breakfast  table  in  the  morning.  It  is  a  big  question,  too.  There's 
millions  in  it.  The  egg  production  of  the  United  States  in  1909 
was  worth,  I  understand,  considerably  over  $500,000,000.  When 
the  United  States  put  up  the  bars  against  Canadian  farm  pro- 
ducts in  1890,  they  shut  out  Canadian  eggs.  At  that  time  we  had 
a  snrplns.  Last  year  eggs  from  Russia  and  from  China  were 
imported  into  Canada,  and  while  I  am  writing  t\m  the  daily 
papers  inform  us  that  eggs  from  Germany  are  on  sale  in  the  city 
of  Toronto.  Let  us  stop  passing  the  question  by  with  a  joke ;  let 
us  stop  threatening;  let  us  give  the  farmer  and  the  farmer's  wife 
and  their  little  flock  of  chickens  a  fair  chance.  There  is  a  way 
of  doing  it  and  it  is  worth  serious  thought  and  a  liberal  invest- 
ment of  the  people's  money.  Eggs  may  be  laid  because  the  hens 
like  to  do  so,  ov  perhaps  because  they  cannot  help  it,  but  let  us 
get  this  into  our  heads  that  from  the  public  standpoint  they  are 
produced  for  general  public  consumption.  The  consumer  is  as 
much  interested  as  the  producer — it  is  in  the  general  public 
interest  that  the  indifferent  farmer  be  shown  the  best  and  most 
profitable  way  of  handling  eggs  and  finishing  poultry  for  mar- 
ket.   In  short,  it  is  time  for  the  general  public  to  stop  critiiieing, 


10 


to  demand  that  thorough  work  be  done  and  to  see  to  it  that  funds 
are  provided  for  the  elBeient  carrying  out  of  tlie  worlc.  In  other 
words,  we  need  a  change  of  attitude,  a  new  spirit,  an  awakening 
of  the  whole  people  to  their  co-operation  and  responsibility  in  the 
matter.  How  easy  it  is  to  get  some  great  movements  under  way; 
liow  dillicult  to  awaken  tlie  whole  people  to  an  appreciation  of 
then-  direct  interest  in  this  agneultural  matter.  Every  once  in  a 
while  a  large  part  of  tlie  people  get  it  into  their  heads  "that  things 
are  going  wrong  and  tlien  they  do  things.  We  have  even  known 
them  to  go  to  the  polls  and  east  their  Imllots  for  the  other  fellows 
and  think  that  thus  they  are  going  to  set  matters  right.  What  we 
need  is  to  get  people  to  think  things  out  to  their  origin,  and 
having  tliought  things  out  then  to  do  things. 

How  lire  we  going  to  reach  and  teach  the  iiidiflTerent  farmer? 
This  is  perhaps  the  important  question.  You  all  have  your 
answers,  for  T  doubt  not  there  are  many.  That  is  the  work  you 
are  engaged  in.  That  is  what  brings  you  here  in  conference. 
There  are  two  lines  in  operation  in  Ontario  that  I  would  refer  to 
briefly. 

Next  week  we  expect  to  gather  together  in  the  Convocation  Hall 
of  the  TTniversitv  of  Toronto  a  thousand  women  from  the  farms, 
villages,  towns,  and  even  the  cities  of  Ontario.  .They  will  be  the 
delegates  from  over  three  hundred  Women's  Institutes  of  our  Pro- 
vinrr,  mainly  representing  the  farm  homes  of  Ontario.  This  is  a 
movement  the  force  and  energy  and  regenerating  power  of  which 
no  man  dare  measure.  The  farmer's  home  is  the  centre  of  his  work. 
It  is  not  only  his  home  but  also  the  headquarters  of  his  business 
operations.  If  we  can  capture  the  farmer's  home,  we  believe  we 
will  have  him  at  our  command,  to  move  him,  to  mould  him,  to 
inspire  him  to  better  things.  Oive  us  pos,session  of  the  farmer's 
home  and  we  believe  we  can  revolutionize  the  farmer's  life  and 
work.  We  propose  to  gain  possession  of  the  home  through  tlie 
farmer's  wife.  The  Women's  Institutes  have  a  grand  mission  to 
perform :  it  will  do  what  the  Far'  ers'  Institutes  alone  could  never 
do.  There  are  farm  improven-  .its  which  we  propose  to  introduce 
through  the  home,  there  is  a  reconstruction  of  social  life  that  can 
come  only  through  the  home,  and  I  can  even  see  .«igns  that  the 


11 


rural  scliool  imiy  W  mUvjui}  nml  upIifW  by  the  famM-r's  wife 
when  the  fanner  himself  has  failed  through  his  apparent  indiffer- 
ence. 

And  then  we  are  tryins  nut  tlie  work  of  reaching  the  indifferent 
farmer  by  the  aBricultnral  missionary,  that  eonibination  of  agri- 
cultural teacher  and  district  representative  of  tlie  Department  of 
Agriculture,  whicli  is  worlcing  so  well  in  Ireland  and  along  certain 
lines  in  tlic  Southern  States.  When  a  young  man  of  practical 
training,  equippetl  witli  tlie  ninilcrn  expert  knowledge  and  experi- 
ence which  a  giiod  agricultural  college  affords,  is  dropped  down 
among  a  lot  of  indifferent  farmers  as  a  permanent  resident,  when 
he  takes  off  his  coat  and  goes  to  work  showing  the  farmer  a  better 
way  and  helping  him  to  make  more  money  at  his  work,  something 
is  going  to  happen  and  something  is  already  happening  with  us— 
the  indifferent  farmer  is  having  his  eyes  opened.  Three  years  ago 
we  started  this  work  in  six  counties.  This  year  we  carried  it  on 
in  sixteen  centres  In  one  county,  not  only  was  there  indifference, 
there  was  direct  opposition.  The  county  council  passed  a  resolu- 
tion condemning  :he  whole  thing  as  a  needless  waste  of  public 
money.  To-day  there  would  be  trouble  if  we  suggested  stopping 
the  work :  in  fact,  two  other  sections  of  the  same  county  are  urging 
the  opening  of  offices  and  starting  similar  work  in  connection  with 
their  High  Schools. 

In  carrying  on  our  movement  for  agricultural  uplift  in  Ontario 
there  are  three  things  to  be  considered : 

1st.  The  plan. 

8nd.  The  men  and  women  to  carry  out  the  plan. 

3rd.  The  money  to  provide  the  men  and  women. 

1st.  The  plan.— We  have  the  Province  of  Ontario  fairly  well 
organited  for  agricultural  work.    There  are 

340  Agricul'ural  Societies. 

64  Horticultural  Societies. 
100  Farmers'  Institutes. 
164  Farmers'  Clubs. 
600  Women's  Institutes. 

30  Co-operative  Fruit  Growers'  Associations. 


■'(>  I>M-al    INuiltrv  A^stH'iatiiin.a. 
10  Jjocjil   llornr  Afiwicijition?. 


In  nddiliiiri  to  llio  iiliovc  llicre  are  mnnv  jH'ovinciiil  iii^wciiitiunfi 
in  onniiection  with  daininjf,  fruit  growing,  live  stock,  poultry, 
ptf.  It  is,  however,  through  tlie  loi-iil  district  or  county  associa- 
(ions  Hint  the  l)i»lriii  lie|ireM'ntiitive  will  he  .ahle  to  rarry  on  hi- 
county  work.  The  nliove  afwiciations  are,  in  tlie  main,  composed 
of  the  cnteriirisinp,  wide-awake  fiirniers,  the  men  who  appreciate 
help,  w.io  <\rp  asking  for  help  and  who.  to  a  large  extent,  are  able 
to  help  theniselvex.  It  is  not  of  these  Jiat  I  am  speaking.  They 
are  available  and  in  many  ca.ses  are  willing  and  eager  to  help  the 
indifferent  farmer,  the  man  who  reads  but  little,  who  seldom  attends 
an  institute  meeting,  who  is  unmo\-ed  by  what  he  hears  of  others, 
who  is  to  In-  moved  only  by  the  close  personal  toucli  and  the  active 
sympathy  arousiil  through  bringing  l)etter  ways  right  into  his  own 
field,  his  own  orchard,  his  own  farm  and  his  own  home.  These 
associations  of  active  men  present  a  nieami  whereby  demonstration 
work  can  be  hrouglit  hdme  dire<'tly  to  (the  farmer  by  short  courses 
of  a  practical  nature.  What  they  rcfpiire  mainly  is  direction  and 
inspiration.  The  report  in  one  of  our  leading  agricultural  papers 
of  a  conference  of  representatives  of  Farmers'  Institutes  and 
Farmer.-'  Chilis  referred  tn  the  District  Eeprescntatives  as  follows: 
"  These  young  men  arc  doing  things.  They  took  perhaps  about 
ten  minutes  eacli  to  give  their  addresses,  but  ihey  were  full  of 
optimism,  for  they  are  getting  the  hearts  of  the  people  and  they  are 
already  getting  results.  Institute  managers  and  secretaries  who 
have  gone  lioine  without  being  impressed  by  the  work  of  these  young 
men  have  missed  procv. -ing  the  touchstone  which  wn.  bring  success 
to  their  work." 

3nd.  The  men.— Here  is  where  the  Agricultural  College  comes 
into  the  Kchenic,  Our  College  at  Guclph  has  at  the  present  time 
344  students  in  its  regular  course:  1st  year,  149;  3nd  year,  88: 
3rd  year,  57 :  4tli  year,  .10 :  extra,  6.  After  January  Ist  there  will 
he  probably  300  more  taking  sliort  courses.  We  expect  that  band 
of  fifty  in  the  fourth  year  tn  snppi-  us  with  the  additional  men 
required  tn  man  the  work  at  tli'-  new  offices  and  to  supply  us  with 


13 


aoHistnntii  in  the  otliif*  nlroady  <'Mtlll>li^tlll'll.  'I'hi'  wlii'ine  voii  nee 
is  an  oxtoimion  of  a>;riL-iiltiinil  uoik  tlml  cnrrie*  the  College  to 
every  part  ot  the  province  und  l>rin)(H  into  iii-(,peiiili(ia  all  the  toree» 
aviiilahle  in  all  tlie  other  branches  of  the  llepnrtnient  of  A).'riciil- 
tiire. 

And  what  ahoiit  the  women?  Our  proiilciii  would  Ik-  ^nlved  nuu-li 
more  c|uiekl,v  if  only  we  e(Ui!d  supplenuTit  the  work  liy  havinj! 
trained  women  missionnrie.-i  in  the  rural  |iaris,  working  in  and 
through  the  Women's  Institutes,  carryiuj.'  d estic  W'ience  instruc- 
tion to  all  the  rural  schools  arid  lu'lpinjr  to  iui|irove  the  social  life 
of  the  countrvside.  The  Director  of  Ifouu'  Kconoinics  at  Mac- 
doinild  Institute,  which  is  part  of  our  A;.'ricultural  Collefre.  has 
her  plans  all  ready:  she  has  a  larjie  hand  of  youn:;  women  train- 
ing fiu-  -nch  work;  all  that  is  needed  f.ir  carryin;;  out  her  pan  ..i 
the  plan  is  monfij. 

3rd.  'I'he  money. — We  have  this  year  ahout  i|17»(l,l)00  to  spend 
in  agricultural  work  in  Ontario.  To  carry  this  work  into  every 
county  and  district  of  tlie  province,  to  nuin  all  the  hranelies  ot  the 
Departnu'nt  au''  meet  the  rcipiirenients  of  tlie  Agricultural  College 
to  keep  pace  with  demands,  we  need  approximately  if25n,nnil  niore 
BDnually.  At  first  this  looks  like  a  big  sum,  but  in  comparison 
with  an  annual  output  of  ^-J.lO.noO.OOO  from  175,0(l((  .farnLs  it  U 
not  90  large.  We  are  now  spending  on  agricultural  imiirovement 
just  thirty  cents  apiece  yearly  for  every  person  in  the  pnivince. 
What  we  neeil  is  just  ten  cents  apiece  more.  Shall  we  get  it  'i  Of 
course  we  shall  if  we  make  out  a  good  ease  and  puhlic  opinion  gets 
behind  it.  We  can  get  public  opinion  behind  it  if  we  can  show 
results.  These  are  eoming.  In  fact,  they  are  here  for  those  who 
Hill  take  the  pains  to  look  for  then'.  We  are  trying  to  make  them 
so  plain  that  it  will  be  impossible  uot  to  see  them. 

The  Dominion  Government  could  give  lis  this  amount  without 
missing  it.  If  the  Government  of  Canada  were  to  divide  onlv 
$1,000,000  annually  among  the  different  provinces  for  the  e.vtension 
ot'  agricultural  work,  there  would  be  an  iimuediate  expansion  of 
work  that  would  show  itself  in  increased  customs  receipts.  I  believe 
that  every  dollar  so  invested  would  be  returned  many  times  over  in 
increased  customs.     The  business  man  is  shrewd  who  knows  how 


14 


to  inv«t  hie  gurpluB  ca»Ii  so  as  to  produce  more.  Somftiiiied  it 
pays  him  to  borrow  to  carry  out  ilia  plans.  Our  government* 
«liould  follow  tlic  example  of  the  successful  husineas  man.  As  far 
as  the  Department  ot  Agriculture  is  concerned,  it  is  not  sayinjr 
where  the  money  <lionld  come  from.  It  has  the  plan,  the  men  can 
lie  found,  the  work  can  be  done,  result.*  can  he  had.  if  only  the 
money  is  forthcoming. 

To  bring  this  question  to  the  attcntioi  of  representative  bodies 
has  been  the  concern  of  some  of  us  of  the  Department  for  years  past, 
but  particularly  during  the  past  three  years.  We  have  talked  on  it 
to  Canadian  Clubs,  the  Manufacturers'  AsBociation,  Young  Men's 
Church  Clubs,  Retail  Xfcrchnnts'  Associations,  the  Press  Club,  and 
even  ii  the  Daughters  of  the  Empire.  The  Chairman  of  the  Cana- 
dian Commission  on  Conservation  of  Resources  is  taking  a  deep 
interest  in  the  matter,  and  now  we  understand  that  the  Boards  of 
Trade  of  Ontario  arc  going  to  consider  it.  There  ivill  likely  Ik- 
something  doing. 

Waken  up  the  indifferent  farmer  and  you  develop  one  of  the 
greatest  assets  of  the  country.  It  is  not  like  taking  gold  or  silver 
out  of  the  ground  never  to  be  replaced :  it  is  not  like  cutting  down 
trees  with  the  hope  that  others  will  grow  up  in  the  neit  fifty  years: 
it  is  not  like  hauling  fish  out  of  the  water  that  someone  may  be 
fed;  no,  it  i.s  lu'tter  than  all  these,  for  you  are  bringing  into  pro- 
ductivity a  living  asset.  T  know  no  work  that  any  country  on  this 
continent  can  engage  in  that  promises  bigger  returns  for  everyone 
than  the  rational  stimulating  and  lielping  of  tlie  indifferent  farmer 
to  better  ways  and  better  living.  The  banker  wishes  the  fanner  to 
produce  more,  because  it  is  upon  the  accumulation  of  his  earnings 
that  our  banks  depend:  the  railways  want  more  stuff  to  haul  to 
and  fro;  the  manufacturer  wishes  tlie  demands  of  the  farmers  to 
be  increased;  the  storekeeper  is  looking  for  the  increase  of  purchas- 
ing power  in  the  farmer;  and  the  country  school  teacher  is  hoping 
for  better  pay — ^all  classes  want  more  money  in  circulation.  Then 
why,  as  a  people,  do  we  not  get  down  to  the  consideration  of  this 
question  in  a  manner  comporting  with  its  importance?  Let  us 
devise  things  not  from  the  narrow  standpoint  of  the  needy  farmer, 
but,  having  in  view  the  national  importance  of  the  question,  put 


15 


into  it  tome  of  the  energy  and  the  brains  and  the  money  that  we 
have  put  into  traaaportation  queetiona  and  city  expaneion.  If  we 
could  f;et  our  legislators  and  our  city  millionaires  to  turn  their  eyea 
towarda  the  rural  paHs  and  take  hold  of  the  queetion  in  esrneat, 
there  would  bo  a  national  "evelopment  in  this  country  that  was 
never  dreamed  of  by  the  moat  ardent  enthusiaat.  Ijet  ue  keep  in 
niinu  and  compel  otlicra  to  pay  attention  to  t)ie  regeneration  of  the 
indifferent  farmer,  for  lie  i«  the  greatest  undeveloped  aaaet  of 
eitlier  Canada  or  the  United  Statoi. 


